The rules for The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Design Build Fly (AIAA DBF) contest have been posted on the official website. This contest is a fun way from undergrads to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world. My experience in the DBF gave me a new respect for what goes into the design and construction of air and spacecraft; the detail required for our RC airplane was mind blowing. I was able to learn things that I would have learned in later years. Older team members taught me how to use almost every machine in the machine shop and how to use certain materials. This is why the DBF is a great opportunity for engineers and why every student engineer should try to enter. If you know an undergrad, suggest that they join their college’s DBF team or start their own. Even if you don’t know an undergrad, you can still root for your local school or your old school. Trust me, the teams need the encouragement when they hit inevitable snags. Look up your school in the list of teams that participated in the DBF last year. If a team wants to enter, they have until October 31 to register.

This year teams have to build a soldier portable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The craft must fit in a “commercially produced suitcase meeting airline carry-on bag rules”. We have 4 attempts to complete 3 missions: Fly as many laps as possible, carry “Ammo” (A steel bar, the size is up to the team, but the heavier the bar is, the more points) 3 laps and carry “medical supplies” (As many golfs ball as your plane can fit, the more you carry, the more points) 3 laps. We only have one shot at each mission.

Hello everyone and welcome to the Carnival of Space number 167, here at the warm and cozy home of the Space Tweep Society. We hope to use our uberl33t twitter skills to promote space exploration and to push STEM education. I can tell you from personal experience that every member loves space and all their tweets are highly encouraging, sort of like how a litter of puppies just loves life. Plus, having chats over twitter late at night with other sleep deprived members is hilarious. That’s why I’m proud to share some of the top articles about space in this week’s Carnival of Space.

We first begin with an update on the never ending war with doomsday theories. Ian O’Neill posts an article on Discovery News which goes over why the sun won’t fry this planet into something crisper than KFC’s new “sandwich”. (Hint: we have seen the worst case already). But let’s move on from worrying and onto imagining about the future. Weirdwarp goes beyond dreaming about moon and Mars bases and instead thinks about Human Colonisation of Europa. While not a money earner, there are people actively planning this mission. As extreme as the environment is, Europa could be a great home away from home.

Now, wipe the drool from your face, you don’t want to get any of it on the extremely detailed Space Models discussed at Music of the Spheres. The work is worth drooling over, but I’m not sure if the paint on these beautiful reproductions will stand up to all your space nerds flooding them. (Aside: Ooo no, they are starting to drool, must save the models…what to do? What to do?!? I know, show them something shiny.) Next up, Astroblog shows us some Unexpected Rainbows at a train station in Kongens Nytorv. Quickly, go take a look at the shiny, I think it might even be a triple rainbow. (Aside: …that was close)

Finally, I would like to remind the whole space community about FlyingJenny‘s project. She only needs $1005 more to publish her book of sunrises at the Kennedy Space Center. It epic the we raised about $5,500 dollars for her, but we owe her at least this last bit. She built what is a major hub for the space community and she brought together a raggy bunch of space tweeters into a group who has some of the most mind blowing tweetups ever. The sleepless nights chatting with other space cadets we meet through the Space Tweep Society can not be repaid, let’s atleast do this.

Professional and amateur astronomers, astronomy clubs, planetariums, science centers and all astronomy enthusiasts worldwide are invited to celebrate Earth’s celestial companion, the Moon, on Saturday, September 18, 2010.

International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) follows on the great success of lunar missions in 2009. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has already sent back more close-up images and digital data in its first year orbiting the Moon than any other planetary mission in history. In an unprecedented search for water below the Moon’s surface, Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crashed into the Moon’s south polar region with the world watching.

InOMN builds on NASA’s first celebration of these historic missions during the International Year of Astronomy 2009. Now, Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) is partnering with NASA missions and centers, along with other institutions, to bring the excitement of observing and learning about Earth’s closest neighbor in space to the worldwide public – putting the “International” into InOMN.

“InOMN is a community-based effort where everyone can share the excitement of lunar
exploration with the public by hosting their own InOMN events,” said Mike Simmons, Founder and President of Astronomers Without Borders. “Public telescope observing events, lectures, school presentations and workshops, and even online events like TweetUps are already being planned,” adds Simmons.

Join the celebration. Get others looking up and seeing the Moon…in a whole new light!

Astronomers Without Borders

Astronomers Without Borders is dedicated to fostering understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy. Astronomers Without Borders projects promote sharing, all through a common interest in something basic and universal – sharing the sky.

Swiss journalist Paolo Attivissimo is working on Moonscape, an upcoming free Apollo 11 documentary funded and produced by space enthusiasts, with a focus on accuracy and original material It will use the highest quality footage, audio and images, and feature synchronized views. Here is the first English teaser.

Recently, I was asked to participate in a wonderful event funded by NASA. It’s called Music and Astronomy Under the Stars. Dr. Donald Lubowich, Coordinator of the Astronomy Outreach Program at Hofstra University, received this funding to give concertgoers a view of the cosmos at the Tanglewood Music Festival. This event was co-sponsored by The Dudley Observatory, of which I am a member. Also participating were members from the Springfield Stars Club.

Tanglewood is a beautiful place nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and it provided a wonderful setting for this astronomy education and outreach program. Once our telescopes were set up on the spacious lawn provided to our group, curious musicians, staff and concert attendees began to approach us and ask questions about our various telescopes, celestial objects and recent news they’ve read. Although it was early in the day, we were able to provide some fantastic views of a large sunspot, which prompted even more questions that led to the recent reports of the possibility of seeing an aurora that night.

I was elated to see the amazement on the faces of children and adults who viewed a sunspot for the very first time. While witnessing this, I finally realized why astronomy truly has drawn me to look at the sky, read all I can, and share my information and views. Astronomy is a potential source for answers. When I heard the children’s questions, the epiphany was that we all have a child’s curiosity when we look up. The increasing amount of knowledge provided by clearer views and the increasing amount of data are providing answers to the many curiosities we had as children, and if we’re fortunate, still have. The night’s clouds may have disappointed some, but I’m sure the day’s events and discussion will encourage many to continue to look up to satisfy their urge to know more about who we are and what is our place in this magnificent universe.